i. Biography
At Les 2 Garçons in London, French cooking is worked through direct heat, herbs, rise and tableside timing. Lamb with smouldering herbs puts smoke and aromatics into the service window; soufflés finished at the table put structure, air and heat under the guest’s eye. Robert Reid, from South Africa, is chef and co-owner, with a career in classical French food carried into a room built around precision, appetite and service.
The Climb
Classical French kitchens reward control before display: sauce, seasoning, roast, garnish, pass discipline and the ability to hold a room’s rhythm. Robert Reid built his reputation as head chef at Oak Room, Marco Pierre White (until 2002), before serving as head chef at Home House in Mayfair. The move to Balthazar London in Covent Garden, London (from 2013), as executive chef placed that training inside a larger brasserie register.
The Current Work
French cuisine at Les 2 Garçons in London, United Kingdom, is the current working frame. Reid is chef and co-owner there, and the line of the work remains consistent with the rest of his record: structure, seasoning, heat and service, handled in a classical language rather than as decoration. Two dishes make the method legible. Lamb with smouldering herbs, cited as one of the dishes he cooked from the heart at the restaurant, depends on the meeting point of meat, smoke, aromatics and timing. Soufflés finished at the table use a different discipline: batter, trapped air, oven heat and careful handling, completed close enough to service for the dish’s fragility to remain visible.
Signature
Robert Reid is known for lamb with smouldering herbs and soufflés finished at the table. His craft focus is classical French food.
Credentials
The career markers are kitchen posts and French-cooking milestones rather than detached decoration: a stage at Moulin de Mougins near Cannes, head chef at The Restaurant Marco Pierre White from 1997 to 1999, classical French food at The Oak Room, head chef at Home House, executive chef at Balthazar in 2013, and chef and co-owner of Les 2 Garçons.
Profile updated July 2026
FAQ
Asked of Robert
What does Robert Reid currently do?
Robert Reid is chef and co-owner.
Where did Robert Reid work before?
Earlier in their career, Robert Reid worked at Oak Room, Marco Pierre White, Home House, and Balthazar London.
What is Robert Reid known for?
French cuisine.
